Abstract: There is disclosed an image pickup apparatus for a microscope, comprising a photometry section for acquiring a photometry value corresponding to a brightness of an observed image, an exposure calculation section for calculating a reference exposure time based on the photometry value acquired by the photometry section, and an exposure control section for controlling exposure in accordance with the reference exposure time, the exposure control section comprising an exposure control section for display for controlling exposure, when the image is displayed in a display section, and an exposure control section for recording for controlling the exposure, when the image is recorded in a recording section.

Abstract: A confocal microscope apparatus comprises a first optical scanning system which obtains a scan image of a sample using a laser beam from a first laser light source, a second optical scanning system which scans specific regions of a sample with a laser beam from a second laser light source that is different from the first laser light source, thereby causing a particular phenomenon, and a beam diameter varying mechanism which can change the beam diameter of the laser beam of at least one of the first optical scanning system and the second optical scanning system. With this configuration, the apparatus further comprises an excitation light intensity distribution calculator which calculates and stores the excitation light intensity distribution along a depth direction on the sample surface from the beam diameter of the laser beam output from the beam diameter varying mechanism.

Abstract: An imaging optical system includes an image forming optical system forming an image of an object, an imaging device placed in the proximity of the image of the object, a liquid crystal element placed at a preset position on the optical path between the object and the imaging device; and an optical element placed on the object side of the liquid crystal element. The optical element is constructed of a medium in which the transmittance of light at a wavelength of 500 nm is 20% or more and which exhibits different refractive indices with respect to light, the directions of vibrations of which are perpendicular to each other.

Abstract: A laser microscope is provided in which a beam splitter extracts a part of a laser light of two wavelengths ?1=488 nm and ?2=514.5 nm, a prism spectrally resolves the laser light of the two wavelengths ?1 and ?2, a two-split photodiode detects intensities of two lines spectrally resolved in this manner, and a controller controls an acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF) fixed to an output end of an argon laser based on a detection signal outputted from the two-split photodiode so that respective light intensities of both lines of wavelengths ?1 and ?2 become constant.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus having an internal channel comprises a scope portion in which a flexibly bending portion is provided at an elongated insert portion having a flexibility, the insert portion being inserted into a space which is a target of inspection, and a manipulating device inserting channel is formed, the channel being capable of loading therein a predetermined manipulating device which advances the inside of the insert portion to its distal end side, a remote controller which operates the flexibly bending portion by a joystick, and a connecting device which connects the scope portion and the remote controller to be integrally linked with each other at a position where an operation of the joystick and an operation for inserting the manipulating device through a proximal opening end do not interfere with each other.

Abstract: A therapeutic system comprising a therapeutic applicator for treating living tissues and an observation unit for determining the position of the applicator. The therapeutic energy applied from the applicator to the living tissues is controlled in accordance with data representing the position of the applicator, determined by the observation unit. It is therefore easy to operate the system even if the applicator and the observation unit (e.g., an MRI apparatus) are used at the same time. The image of the living tissues remains clear during the use of the therapeutic applicator.

Abstract: A color image processing apparatus for detecting and correcting fault pixels in a color image pickup device having a plurality of pixels each with a correspondingly disposed filter device of color filter having a plurality of filter devices respectively of predetermined colors, including means for detecting fault pixels by establishing a correlation among pixel signals along an arrangement of consecutive ones of identical color, and means for correcting pixel signals corresponding to the fault pixels detected at the fault pixel detecting means. By thus establishing a correlation among pixel signals along an arrangement of consecutive ones of identical color to detect and correct fault pixels, the fault pixels are efficiently detected in a small range and correction of the fault pixels is performed in real time.

Abstract: An image recording method for use in a confocal laser scanning microscope apparatus is configured to scan a specimen with each of a plurality of laser lights at least having different wavelengths as spotlight, to detect the light from the specimen based on the spotlight, and to partition and record obtained image information.

Abstract: An endoscopic instrument used to form an artificial valve for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Abstract: A deflection angle detecting device includes a light source, a path switching plane switching the optical path of part of light radiated from the light source, a detecting reflection surface placed on the optical path switched by the path switching plane and provided to the light-deflecting element, and a photodetector receiving light reflected by the detecting reflection surface to detect the deflection angle of the light-deflecting element in accordance with the position where the light is received. In this case, a transmission surface with positive power is interposed between the detecting reflection surface and the photodetector.

Abstract: A digital camera has an adjustment value creating part configured to create an adjustment value for adjusting a white balance of an image, and an adjusting part configured to adjust the white balance of the image based on an adjustment value output from the adjustment value creating part. The adjustment value creating part comprises a calculating part configured to calculate a first adjustment value based on image data obtained by taking a subject image, an evaluating part configured to evaluate a reliability of the first adjustment value, an adjustment value correcting part configured to correct the first adjustment value based on input data when the evaluating part evaluates that the reliability of the first adjustment value is low, and create a second adjustment value, and an adjustment value outputting part configured to output the second adjustment value to the adjusting part.

Abstract: There is disclosed a constitution in which an area with strobe light rays dominant therein, which corresponds to strobe light dominant area, is extracted in accordance with various extraction conditions, and a white balance adjustment suitable for a property of the area is set in order to enhance a result of an indoor strobe photographing. Moreover, it is judged whether or not correction is appropriate for each white balance area in accordance with a result of evaluation exposure of a steady light amount.

Abstract: An electronic camera system of this invention includes an electronic camera for converting an image obtained by sensing into a file and recording the file, a PHS unit attached to the electronic camera to transmit the image file recorded in the electronic camera upon obtaining base station identification information of a master unit in position registration processing according to movement, the master unit having registered the PHS unit as a subsidiary unit, a private base station as the master unit, in which the PHS unit is registered as the subsidiary unit in advance, for transferring the image file sent in position registration processing of the PHS unit, and an electronic album apparatus connected to the private base station to record the image file transferred from the private base station.

Abstract: A suturing device for an endoscope includes a curved needle rotatably attached on the distal end of the suturing device. A rotary member is provided on the rotation axis of the curved needle for rotating said curved needle and a connecting arm connects the curved needle to the rotary member. The center of curvature of the curved needle is aligned with the rotation axis of the curved needle and engaging means are provided at least at the pointed end of the curved needle for receiving thread.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, in which an object image focused by a lens is split into a plurality of images by means of a light splitting section. These images are converted into image data items by a plurality of imaging devices which are arranged with their imaging area overlapping in part. The image data items are stored temporarily in an image storing section. A displacement detecting section detects displacement coefficients (rotation angle R and parallel displacement S) from the image signals representing the mutual overlap region of two images which are to be combined and which are represented by two image data items read from the image storing section. The position of any specified pixel of the image displayed is identified by the pixel signal generated by the corresponding pixel of any imaging device.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus for optically reading an image comprises an LED for lighting a predetermined region including an object to be read, an image pickup element for receiving reflected light from the predetermined region lit by the LED and outputting an corresponding image pickup signal, a CPU for controlling an amount of light emitted by the LED in a predetermined range such that the image pickup signal output from the image pickup element is at the proper level, and a dark image pickup detecting circuit for determining a dark image pickup state on the basis of the image pickup signal output from the image pickup element. When the dark image pickup detecting circuit determines the dark image pickup state, the CPU controls an amount of light emitted by the LED to be low.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus having function for synthesizing image signals corresponding to a plurality of frames of different exposure amounts to generate wide dynamic range, synthesized image is provided with: at least two control means among a taking control means based on a normal taking mode, a taking control means based on a forced wide dynamic range taking mode, and a taking control means based on an automatic wide dynamic range taking mode for selectively generating wide dynamic range, synthesized image automatically on the basis of object information or information set for the image taking; and means for selectively setting one image taking mode out of the taking modes respectively corresponding to the two control means. It is thereby possible to take image by selecting one image taking mode from at least two taking modes among the normal taking mode, the forced wide dynamic range taking mode, and the automatic wide dynamic range taking mode.

Abstract: An automatic focal point sensing device includes an image sensor on which an optical image is projected and which photoelectrically converts the image pixel by pixel to generate image data, a first calculation circuit which generates more than one pixel block, each pixel block being the sum of consecutive pixel data items, calculates one of the sum of the differences between signal levels of two adjacent pixel blocks and the sum of the square of each of the differences of two adjacent pixel blocks as a contrast value, and which determines more than one contrast value by changing a combination of pixel data items contained in each pixel block, and a second calculation circuit for calculating the sum of the contrast values determined by the first calculation circuit as an evaluation value and determining the degree of focusing on the basis of the evaluation value.

Abstract: An electronic imaging device is provided which includes a first lens group which takes in a luminous flux from a subject along a first optical axis, an optical axis conversion member which bends the luminous flux along a second optical axis which intersects with the first optical axis, a second lens which images the bent luminous flux to an imaging element, and an optical amount adjustment unit provided between the second lens group and the optical axis conversion member. An AF motor, a driving unit which drives the optical amount adjustment unit, and a zoom motor are each selectively arranged at one of four spaces formed by a first plane defined by the optical amount adjustment unit and a second plane defined by the first and second optical axes. The AF motor, the driving unit, and the zoom motor may all be arranged at one side of the second plane.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes at least one of a connector on the side of a scope unit and a connector on the side of a fixed unit in a connector portion disposed in an detachable portion of a base unit and the fixed unit of the scope unit is a movable connector, and in the detachable portion, the base unit is connected to the fixed unit by positioning means for positioning the fixed unit side to the base unit side, when the connector on the fixed unit side is connected to that on the base unit side.